He slept on doorsteps in fine weather and in empty hogsheads in wet; he did not have to go to school or to church, or call any being master or obey anybody; he could go fishing or swimming when and where he chose, and stay as long as it suited him; nobody forbade him to fight; he could sit up as late as he pleased; he was always the first boy that went barefoot in the spring and the last to resume leather in the fall; he never had to wash, nor put on clean clothes; he could swear wonderfully.

"You take and split the bean, and cut the wart so as to get some blood, and then you put the blood on one piece of the bean and take and dig a hole and bury it 'bout midnight at the crossroads in the dark of the moon, and then you burn up the rest of the bean.

In 2003, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), Operation Artemis in Ituri secured the area and put an end to ongoing massacres. This was followed by the deployment of 2,000 peacekeepers, 80% of which were French.

(…) The commissioner also states his concern over reports of the disproportionate use of force – including the use of rubber bullets- by the security forces during anti-austerity protests (…) The frequent failure by agents to wear identification, above all at protests, has impeded the accusation and punishment of those who commit abuse. (…) The commissioner urges the Spanish government to put an end to the long-established practice, based on a law from 1870, to pardon members of the security forces who are convicted of serious human rights violations, including torture.

By inviting 10 more countries to join the EU on 1 May 2004, the European Union was not simply increasing its geographical size and population; it was putting an end to the split in our continent which, from 1945 onwards, had separated the free world from the communist bloc.

Throughout the period covered by this programme and the five programmes preceding it, and in more than 30 years of setting standards, the EU has put in place a comprehensive system of environmental protection.